-Three years earlier-

"Welcome home, Zero."

The soft words that spoke beside him were just enough to snap the silver haired hunter back to reality. Home... It had been a word he had not used for a very long time, for years. Cross Academy had not been home to him, nor the cramped apartment he had rented for years after his graduation. Neither had been his home... But now... Here he was, standing in front of their home. Looking up for a moment to his husband standing beside him, he couldn't help but faintly smirk back at him. He locked eyes with the smouldering rubies brimming with love, love he still couldn't believe looked only to him... Their hands tightened in one another's grasp, refusing to loosen, not after what they had to overcome to get this far.

It had taken years of determination, promises hanging by a thread, and more to stand here today, still together, still strong. The worst time had to have been when their species had found about their relationship... It had been pure chaos as both sides snapped at their leaders, refusing to settle with the idea that their commanders were now a mated pair, and at the time, soon to be married. It had stretched out their engagement by a solid two years... Their hopes to marry in peace and secrecy had been destroyed by a single kiss Zero had dared to give his lover, caught by a single vampire's eyes. But now they were past that, and peace had began once again between their species, once they had realized that their leaders being together would only mean years and years of peace and the loss of war.

Zero's soft amethyst eyes looked up at their home once more, modest compared to what Kaname had dreamed for them. He had wanted nothing more than to give his hunter husband the best of everything, but after Zero had quickly reigned in his pureblood mate, they had settled on something in between. Modest, but with enough money spent into it to make Kaname happy. And it was all theirs...

Zero had not seen their home before today, with Kaname having left it as a surprise. They had only come back from their honeymoon just as the sun had gone down, enjoying several weeks by themselves where no one could bother them any longer. It had been hard to get peace and quiet when the hunters and vampires followed their every step. He vaguely wondered just how long it would take for them to figure out that they now had a new home, refusing to go back to the Kuran mansion or even to Zero's apartment. It would be peaceful until then, though...

A warm kiss onto his cheek once again drove Zero away from his happy thoughts, and a chuckle slid from him. "Do you love it?" Kaname murmured into his ear, and he already could feel the soft shivers up his spine. Kaname always seemed to have this affect on him, to drive him wild with the most simple of motions. Maybe it had been why the two had refused to reconcile while at the academy, refusing to see their true feelings and instead turn them into hate. That had not lasted past Zero's junior year, thankfully. It had been an accident that they had accepted their feelings at all... A drunk Zero, still on patrol of course, had been scolded and brought inside the Moon dorms by Kaname. Of course the alcohol went to Zero's head and... Things happened.

Zero wished he could have remembered the entire thing... He remembered the morning after quite clearly, though. Utterly naked and embracing a still asleep Kaname... The only repercussions at the time had been Yuuki being upset with Zero for ditching patrols. But now it had led to this... The newly weds standing before their home, ready to begin their new life together.

"Of course I do... But it might look better on the inside," Zero chuckled as he gave Kaname's hand a squeeze, only to soon tug it forward. They needed to get settled in... And Zero wanted nothing more than to explore the home Kaname had slaved over for months, making sure that every little detail had been perfect. Pulling the bag that Zero still held in his other hand, he did not hesitate to nearly drag Kaname up to the front steps, only for the pureblood to quickly open the door. With a soft push, the large wooden door opened to the two, and leaving both of them to quickly rush inside, to finely explore their home and begin their lives... They disappeared into the home together, hand in hand, and let the door close behind them with a soft click.

The boom of another bomb rocketed through Zero's head, to the point that he would be surprised that his brain had not been reduced to mulch from such a blast. The questions and cries of his soldiers had nearly been drained out, but a few voices managed to push through. Where would they move camp. How many were still alive. Were they the only ones left... None of them were questions that Zero could surely answer, but he knew that he would be of no use if he simply stood in silence, letting his men panic.

"Calm the fuck down, we're moving south. Pick up only what you need, medical supplies, food, water, we need to get moving!" Zero's commanding voice forced its way over the sounds of gunfire and the panicked sounds of his troops. Staggering soldiers were nearly throwing themselves over the ridge behind him into the safety of their camp, some limping, others still trying to save the dying. They would know soon that there was no place to be heroic... Those that were too slow would be left to die. There would be no heroes today, no miraculous saves. All that they should be concerned about was surviving another day... And as another bullet whizzed overhead and narrowly missed the soldier standing mere feet from Zero, he knew they had to work fast if they had even the slimmest of chances.

It was organized chaos within seconds, soldiers frantically pulling their supplies together. Equipment and guns were strapped to their backs, kits and bandages hoisted into their arms, while others were carrying food and water. They were all items that would take time to replace, as their next shipment may not make it to their new camp. The shipments of supplies have been getting smaller, simply because they are unable to get across the battlefield to where the survivors laid helpless until their arrival.

Looking up at the darkened sky as the flames reached only higher, as if to touch the stars and the crescent moon just out of reach, Zero could only feel the cold ball of ice sitting in his gut. South would be the only place they could go... They would lose ground, but hopefully run into other troops. Ground could be regained... Lives could not. And they had been losing enough troops as it was.

Another bullet whizzed by, and this time Zero could feel it slightly scrape against the side of his helmet, adding yet another scar to the already slashed helmet. They needed to get out of here faster... Gritting his teeth together as his eyes narrowed at his frantic troops, he couldn't help but let out a growl. "We're in a war people! If you can't pull your shit together then you'll only slow us down!" Zero's temper spoke for him as he raced down the lip that protected their enclosed camp, already grabbing weapons and first aid kits. He may be the most able bodied of his entire camp... They had been poorly trained, after all. Only months in training before forced onto the battle field to try to fight a losing war. Zero didn't blame them for not being ready...

It was suicide by this point to fight this cause.

But he was going to fight... He had to return home. Just a few more days and the new troops would come, and as Kaien had promised him, they would be ready. Minutes had felt like hours as the shattered troops managed to pick up what was needed, though leaving behind much more than any of them cared to admit. There would be no time to go back. And as the flames stretched only higher, Zero knew he could not look back. There were already so many lives lost today... And as the men disappeared under the cover of darkness, he knew he would not be one of them. They may have gained their camp... But they would not take him today.

A little short, I know Dx I'm still gaining back my muse and I thought a little bit of this might help get the blood flowing to the brain. I may add another chapter of this by the end of the week!

-J

Reviews answered:

I had changed the plot a while ago, and now there will be NO Yuuki! It's okay, I'm just as annoyed with her as all of you are -.-

Angst will be here, but not for a few more chapters... It will come, and it will be devistating :3